Harsh penalty unlikely for arson

A preliminary hearing for three Zeta Psi brothers will take place April 10. The three University students recently charged with arson are scheduled for an 8 a.m. preliminary hearing April 10 at the Philadelphia Police Department's 18th District Headquarters, police said. The District Attorney's office charged Engineering junior Zayd Hammam, College sophomore Seth Schorr and Engineering sophomore Tim Young with arson -- a felony charge -- after they allegedly set fire to a lunch box on the porch of the Tabard Society house at 41st and Pine streets in late February. University Police Detective John Peterson explained that the maximum penalty for an arson conviction consists of 15 to 25 years in prison and a $25,000 fine. But Peterson said the three Zeta Psi brothers would be unlikely to receive a sentence that harsh if convicted, noting that none of the students has a prior criminal record and that they admitted in a statement that the incident "was just a prank gone crazy." University Police Detective Frank DeMeo -- who has been investigating the incident -- said the students will probably not be significantly punished because no one was injured in the incident and the Tabard property was not seriously damaged. But he added that the lack of injuries or damage stemming from the incident "doesn't diminish the seriousness of the whole escapade." And DeMeo noted that the University took the crime seriously by referring it to the Office of Student Conduct within one or two days of the incident. "Fire is not one area where you can be liberal because too many things can get out of control," he said. The preliminary hearing for the three Zeta Psi brothers -- during which the District Attorney's office will attempt to show that a crime was committed and that the three suspects probably committed the crime -- will be held at the local police precinct headquarters at 55th and Pine streets. Peterson said a number of paths are possible for the case -- ranging from the defendants and the District Attorney's office agreeing to hold a jury trial, to the judge at the preliminary hearing choosing to "throw the whole thing out except for the charge." Office of Student Conduct Director Michele Goldfarb would not confirm yesterday whether her office was considering disciplinary procedures for the three students, noting that she would be violating the students' confidentiality if she discussed any aspects of the case. But Goldfarb stressed that it was "important to keep [the incident] in perspective and get all the facts accurately to give an accurate picture of what occurred and what the intent was." She added that the University plans "to seek a constructive and very reasonable resolution" to the matter. Zeta Psi President and College sophomore Carter Caldwell said last month that the fraternity had suspended the students pending the results of the investigation. But in a letter published in the February 28 edition of The Daily Pennsylvanian, Tabard Society President and Wharton senior Jennifer Chow defended the three suspects "as caring and considerate individuals [who] did not intend to harm the women of the Tabard Society."

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